Adolescent Changes
As
adolescents’ bodies change through puberty, body image becomes important to
both young boys and girls, specifically physical attractiveness. According to
Dolgin (2011), there is research showing that adolescents who are “ranked as
physically attractive are also rated by teachers and by themselves as having
better peer and parent relations than are adolescents who are not considered as
attractive,” as well as directly effecting an adolescent’s self-esteem (p. 98).
Because of the images that the media have portrayed as the “perfect” body type,
young girls of all racial diversities are unhappy with their own body, which
eventually becomes dissatisfaction with one’s self, resulting in lower
self-esteem (Dolgin, 2011, p. 99). As adolescents bodies change and develop, they become more aware of their gender roles than they have been. Adolescents, specifically girls, develop anxieties regarding whether boys find them attractive (Dolgin, 2011, p. 170). This can then effect identity formation because girls will limit their career choices by shying away from careers that are not "feminine" to align with society's view of a woman's role (Dolgin, 2011, p. 170).
Teachers are placed in the unique position to help guide their students during this important time in their lives. Students spent an abundant amount of time at school and their teachers become an important part of students’ lives. It is extremely important to teach math, English, science, and history; however, educators have the ability to constantly remind students of the importance of healthy eating habits, exercise, nutrition, and the need for sleep. Educators have influence over how students begin to view themselves and others, offering an opportunity to ease adolescents’ minds as they go through these physical changes. English teachers can choose reading material that deals with some of the issues adolescents experience and create a dialogue with their students to work through their own issues and concerns, all under the guise of a book discussion. Overall, all teachers should show an invested interest in their students and allow for students to feel safe opening up and discussing any major problems he or she is experiencing. Sometimes a teacher is the only adult an adolescent has available to him or her to talk to.
Teachers are placed in the unique position to help guide their students during this important time in their lives. Students spent an abundant amount of time at school and their teachers become an important part of students’ lives. It is extremely important to teach math, English, science, and history; however, educators have the ability to constantly remind students of the importance of healthy eating habits, exercise, nutrition, and the need for sleep. Educators have influence over how students begin to view themselves and others, offering an opportunity to ease adolescents’ minds as they go through these physical changes. English teachers can choose reading material that deals with some of the issues adolescents experience and create a dialogue with their students to work through their own issues and concerns, all under the guise of a book discussion. Overall, all teachers should show an invested interest in their students and allow for students to feel safe opening up and discussing any major problems he or she is experiencing. Sometimes a teacher is the only adult an adolescent has available to him or her to talk to.
Remember:
1. Adolescence is a struggle in some way for every student.
2. Look back on your time as an adolescent to relate to your students.
3. As a steady influence in your students' lives, you can help them cope.
References
Dolgin, K.G. (2011). The adolescent: Development, relationships, and culture. (13thed.). Bostin, MA: Pearson.
Really important points here....nice job. Just one comment about formatting: because it is a "handbook," it would be helpful to have,perhaps at the end of your post, a top three tips or "remember these three things when you are faced with..." What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI really liked this suggestion and I am going to use it in future posts as well. That way, when using the blog for reference, someone doesn't have to re-read the entire post. Thank you!
ReplyDelete